The invention relates to an apparatus and method for securing a graft to bone.
Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) generally involves the placement of a tendon graft through a tibial tunnel and securing the graft at one end to the femur and at the other end to the tibia. It is known to secure the graft to the tibia using staples, a bicortical screw and a fastening washer having spikes for penetration into the bone, or a suture attached to a fixation post embedded into the bone.
A graft anchor for securing a graft to bone includes an anchor member for placement in bone tissue. The anchor member defines an opening. An inner member is insertably securable into the anchor member opening. A fastener is configured such that insertion and securing of the inner member into the anchor member opening results in a holding force being applied to the graft.
In particular embodiments of the invention, the anchor member is of limited length to maintain its distal end within the bone and the opening is a threaded axial bore. The inner member includes external threads for mating with the axial bore threads and a smooth shank proximal of the external threads. The anchor member includes external, threads; the threads are preferably self-tapping. The axial bore of the anchor member includes a distal drive opening for receiving a drive tool, and the inner member includes a proximal drive opening for receiving a drive tool. The distal and proximal drive openings are preferably hexagonally shaped. The fastener includes a channel for containing the graft, a guide defining the channel, a fastener body with protrusions extending from the fastener body for penetrating bone tissue, and a reinforcing member contained within the fastener body. The fastener body has a strength less than the reinforcing member. The fastener includes a through bore and a lip surrounding the through bore which separates the graft from the through bore. The fastener body has a generally circular shape which may include two flat sides.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of securing a graft to bone includes the steps of placing an anchor member into the bone, positioning a fastener such that a portion of the graft lies between the fastener and the bone, inserting and securing an inner member into the anchor member, the insertion forcing the fastener into the bone to secure the graft by squeezing the graft between the fastener and the bone.
In particular embodiments of the invention, the method includes drilling a counterbore in the tunnel perpendicular to a central axis of the tunnel, and drilling a hole perpendicular to the central axis of the tunnel and centered within the counterbore. Placement of the anchor member into the bone is by screwing the anchor member into the hole. The anchor member is self-tapped into the hole. The anchor member is of limited length such that placement of the anchor member into the bone results in a distal end of the anchor member being maintained within the bone. The portion of the graft that lies between the fastener and the bone is contained within a protective channel defined by the fastener.
Advantages of the invention include the low profile presented by the graft anchor because of its placement in a counterbore. The placement of the graft anchor within a counterbore creates a tortuous path for the graft to follow which produces stronger initial fixation of the graft to the bone because of the increased surface area between the graft and the bone. The placement of the graft anchor within the bone tunnel eliminates any protrusion of the graft anchor from the surface of the bone. The fastener lip shields the graft from possible damage from the act of inserting the screw into the anchor member. The smooth shank of the inner member does not cut the graft. The containment of the graft substantially within the fastener channels causes the graft to lie flat against the bone increasing the area of contact between the graft and the bone which increases the ability of the graft to heal back to the bone. The anchor member has a larger outer diameter than conventional bone anchors which increases the pull out strength of the graft anchor.